Fried Cheese for Dessert Anyone?

My friend Cathy and I recently ate at a new Puerto Rican place called My Old San Juan.  I had never been to a Puerto Rican restaurant and was very excited to try out some new things.  We had no idea what to expect but Cathy is adventurous just like me when it comes to trying new foods.  

As we were looking over the menu I honed in on something called queso frido (fried cheese) with guava paste.  I decided I was going to order that for my meal.  We continued looking over the menu and picking out things that looked good but I had made my decision-I was ordering the queso frido.  Cathy then pointed out that it was actually a dessert.   No wonder it had been calling my name!  Since this was Cathy’s “moving away” lunch, we decided to go all out and try an appetizer, entrees and of course the queso frido.

We split something similar to an empanada.  It was a beef filled dough that was made with yucca plant instead of the normal pastry used for empanada.  Greasy, crispy, yummy!  For my meal I had a wonderful, juicy piece of chicken with fried plantains and she had a delicious pork dish with rice and beans. 

Then the piece de resistance-the queso frido!  The plate came out with strips of lightly browned fried cheese sticks.  Situated on top were thick strips of guava paste and a couple squirts of whipped topping with sprinkles.  We dug right in without hesitation.  First we tried the cheese alone.  It was crispy, creamy, buttery and salty and just a little nutty.  Next we tried the guava paste.  It was like a very thick jelly and sweet.  Then the marriage of the two.  There was something magical about the way the wonderful buttery cheese combined with the sweet goodness of the guava.  It was a myriad of flavors all rolled in one and it was muy delicioso!  We asked about the dish and learned it was a traditional Puerto Rican dessert.  So to whoever first thought of pairing these two, I say mucho gracias!

Carrot Cake-Still A Delicious Fad After All These Years

We had the in-laws over for lunch to celebrate my mother-in-law’s birthday.  She and my father-in-law both love my homemade carrot cake.  Apparently they have been known to hide leftover pieces of it from one another.  So the dessert choice for the day was clear-carrot cake. 

That was fine by me because I too love homemade carrot cake.  There is nothing like biting into a moist, dense, golden piece of carrot cake and as your teeth slice thru the tender pieces of carrot, they discover the crunch of a pecan and a succulent golden raisin.  Follow that up with the silkiness of cream cheese icing and you’ve got a real winner! 

As I was grating carrots for the cake I started wondering who created the first carrot cake because I would really love to thank them.  I thought it probably hailed back to a time when some other ingredient was in short supply and it was a handy substitute.  Or perhaps a carrot farmer had a bumper crop of carrots and to avoid spoilage they were added to a cake.  Or had it been an accidental creation?  I’m not sure how one would accidently grate and slip 3 cups of carrots into a cake unknowingly, but many everyday foods are the result of a major kitchen blunder. 

After some research online, I’m still curious as I didn’t find a huge amount of information on the history.  According to Wikipedia though, it has likely been around since the medieval period when carrots were easier to come by than sugar.  Wikipedia also says it first appeared in American restaurants in the 1960’s and that Food Network listed it as #5 of the top 5 fad foods of the 1970’s.  Hmmm, should we call something this delicious 40 years later, a fad?  Call it what you will, I’m just going to call it delicious!

Read the Wikipedia history here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrot_cake

Crispy Potato Cakes

In one of my recent trips to the farmer’s market I bought these wonderful little golden potatoes.  They reminded me of Yukon Golds but the farmer from whom I bought them said they were something else and I’ve now forgotten the name.  He told me they would make the best, creamiest mashed potatoes I had eaten.  Ok, so all I could think about until I actually made them, was mashed potatoes.  I could imagine the butteriness, the creaminess, the straight from the farm goodness.

So I made them.  Boiled them skin on.  For one, they were a little small to peel.  Plus I just really like skin on mashed potatoes.  I added a little garlic and bacon.  Hello!  Garlic, bacon and potatoes.  You just can’t go wrong with that combination. 

My husband and I enjoyed them with our dinner.  Honestly I don’t even remember what else I cooked.  The potatoes were the star.  Now what to do with the leftovers?  Some things are just not good as leftovers and just about any kind of potato is not worth saving.  But these were so good I just hated to throw them out.  Aha!  I remembered what my mom did on occasion with leftover mashed potatoes when I was a kid.  She made potato cakes!  I had done them before but it had been a while.

I dare say that I think we enjoyed the crispy potato cakes the next night almost as much as the mashed potatoes.  And the best part is, I still have some of those yummy little potatoes left to cook and enjoy on another occasion!

Jenny’s Crispy Potato Cakes

2 Cups Cold Mashed Potatoes

1 Egg

Finely Crushed Cracker Crumbs for Coating

Mix potatoes and egg until incorporated.  Mixture should be firm enough to hold together like a meatball.  If it is too thick, add a splash of milk.  If too thin, add a sprinkling of the cracker crumbs.  Form patties and lightly press into the cracker crumb coating.  Pan fry in olive oil over medium heat until a light golden brown on each side (about 5 minutes per side).  Serve warm and enjoy!

The Donut

I had a flat tire the other day.  Not that there is ever a great time to have a flat, but this day was a really bad day for a flat.  I’m driving down the road with just enough time to get from one appointment to the next when suddenly I hear a “pop” and then a “whoosh”!  I pulled into a church parking lot and watched as my tire quickly flattened to the ground taking all my sense of accomplishment for the day right along with it. 

What to do?  I knew how to change a tire but I was in a hurry!  Oh well, I decided, I was going to miss my next appointment no matter who changed the tire.  So I unloaded the trunk and dug out the “donut”.  My husband’s lessons of showing me how to change a tire paid off and in 45 minutes I was on my way.  A little dirty but felling a sense of accomplishment at having changed my tire.

On the way home I realized I was hungry and for some strange reason I had a craving for donuts?  I had no time for donuts so the best I could do was reminisce about one of the best donuts I’ve ever had.  When we were in Portland, Oregon last year we visited a funky little shop called Voodoo Donut where I had the most delicious, fluffy donut with maple icing and strips of bacon.  It was not a round donut but rectangular like a bar and enough for two servings (or maybe 1 serving after changing a flat tire).  It reminded me of dipping bacon into maple syrup while eating pancakes.  It was the perfect balance of sweet, savory and yum!

I sure could go for one of those about now but Portland is a little far to travel for a donut…..hmmmm, I feel a kitchen experiment coming on!